Newsletter THE LUTHERAN CHURCH MISSOURI SYNOD

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1 Southern Illinois District Lutheran Women in Mission Newsletter THE LUTHERAN CHURCH MISSOURI SYNOD Volume 66 No. 2 September 2017 LWML Calendar. Oct. 7 Fall Retreat Oct. 19 Board Meeting In This Issue: President s Page 2 Counselor s Message 3 Scholarships 4 Gospel Outreach 5 Communication 7 Christian Life 8 Servant Resources 9 District Directory 9 Retreat Flyer 10 Mission Statement: The Mission of the Southern Illinois District of the Lutheran Women s Missionary League is to encourage each woman in the district to grow spiritually and to use her God given gifts to praise God and serve people. LWML sets Mission Goal at $2.075 million The Lutheran Women's Missionary League (LWML) welcomed 3,471 people with 850 as first timers to the LWML Convention in Albuquerque, NM June 22 25, 2017, under the theme "Jesus Christ Above All". The convention theme was based on Philippians 2:9. Delegates to the 37th Biennial Convention of the LWML adopted a $2,075,000 mission goal for the biennium. This goal, by the grace of God, will fund 22 mission grants as men and women respond in prayer and offerings during the next two years. LWML chose to support the following mission grants, pledging their support with prayers and mites (offerings) given over the next biennium: Providing Food and the Gospel to Starving Children Mercy Meals of Siouxland, $40,000 ; Mercy House for Women and Children Franklin Avenue Mission, Flint, Michigan, $100,000; Christ for Veterans and Their Families LCMS Ministry of the Armed Forces, $27,750; Tanzanian Sewing Center Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania (ELCT), $25,000; Current Missionary Need LCMS International Mission, $100,000; Lutheran Children s Books for Families Worldwide Lutheran Heritage Foundation, $100,000; Christian Hope Through Mass Media in Egypt Lutheran Hour Ministries, $100,000; NO- LA 4H: Hearts for the Hungry, Homeless, and Hurting Christian Families United for Progress, $100,000; Lutheran World Relief Quilt and Kit Shipping Fund, $80,000; Christian Eldercare Home in Haiti Ministry in Mission, $100,000; Training Lutheran Middle Eastern Missionaries Biblical Orthodox Lutheran Mission, $93,000; Completion of Lukonda Lutheran School Buildings, Uganda Lutheran Church Uganda, $48,000; Equipping Youth to Witness for Life Y4Life Lutherans for Life, $25,000; Laborers of Love Lutheran Braille Workers, $100,000; Sharing Jesus with People with Disabilities Bethesda Lutheran Communities, $100,000; Education Loan Repayment Assistance Grants Ministry Focus, $100,000; Nursing Students Serving with Mercy Medical Team LCMS Office of International Mission, $25,000; Restoration Programs for Native Hawaiians Lutheran Indian Ministries, $75,000; RECONNECT to the Body of Christ, Circuit 28 Texas District, $50,000; Prison and Jail Ministry Synod-wide Conference in 2018, $36,500; Family Scholarships for Short Term Mission Trips MOST Ministries, $60,000; Raising Pastors and Deaconesses Evangelical Lutheran Church of Liberia, $97,000 The voting body elected the following to serve as officers, Counselor, and nominating committee: Jennifer Huecker, Missouri District; Vice President of Christian Life; Charlotte (Char) Kroemer, Oregon District; Vice Continued on Page 2

2 Page 2 LWML Newsletter September 2017 From Brenda... President Brenda Schoenbeck The purpose of the president is to provide Christ centered leadership, using His wisdom and provision to seek opportunities in helping our LWML sisters use their gifts in service to the Lord. This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. (Psalm 118:24). Celebration time, come on! This is a year of celebration- 500th anniversary of the Reformation, 100th anniversary of Lutheran Hour Ministries, a.k.a. the Lutheran Laymen s League, and the 75 From th anniversary of the Lutheran Women s Missionary League. Perhaps you are also celebrating a significant milestone Helen... in your life. The President May-June Helen 2017 Mayer issue of The Lutheran Layman has an interesting article entitled Thank You, Martin Luther! Reformation Benefits for the 21 st Century Woman by Phyllis Wallace. The same issue also has an article entitled 75 Years Ago: the LWML s Purposeful Start. You might want to check out both. At the recent LWML convention in Albuquerque, we marked our 75 th with the Diamond Dazzle celebration, beginning with a wild and wacky parade, which appeared to some as organized chaos, with participants from every district and a program featuring a walk through the history of the LWML, interspersed with music from the decades. If you were unable to be there, I hope you watched it as it was live streamed. You can still view the highlights of the convention on the LWML website. Our Southern Illinois District LWML is planning a birthday celebration in September 2018 at the district convention, at Christ Our Rock Lutheran High School in Centralia. Our theme verse is Psalm 100:5; our focus will be on the Decades of Missions, a look at the past, present and future of the LWML. Part of our celebration will be a display of many of the beautiful banners that have been crafted for both our district conventions and for the national conventions. Some banners from over the years are missing; specifically two from recent years 2010 Grow in Grace and 2014 By Still Waters. If anyone knows where any of these banners might be, perhaps tucked away and forgotten in a closet, please contact me. I will gladly come and pick them up. Other preparations are underway. The nominating committee is gearing up to find those of you who are willing to share your time and talents by serving on the district board. Offices to be filled are President, Vice President of Organizational Resources, Vice President of Special Focus Ministries, Corresponding Secretary and Financial Secretary. The district bylaws, which has position descriptions for each office, can be found on our website, By the way, you may have noticed that the LWML has introduced a new logo. The explanation of the new logo, or brand, is as follows: The goal of the LWML brand is to attract a broader audience and convey the characteristics of the organization that make it so unique. This new identity aims to re-engage existing members, connect local units with national, illustrate a unified vision, and capture the passion represented by current members of the LWML. Through this identity, the hope is to empower members through deeper connections, tradition, and the desire to serve God. The symbol was created with this in mind; one that represents the members of both the LWML and the church. A heart to represent the love and giving nature of the members; a drop to symbolize the blood of Christ and tear of compassion; and a cross above all else to proudly show purpose behind the efforts of the LWML. Jesus Christ Above All. Brenda Convention continued President of Communication; Angelina Jauregui, Pacific Southwest District; Vice President of Gospel Outreach; Ginger Starrett, New Jersey District; Recording Secretary; Rev. Mitchel Schuessler, Southern Illinois District; Junior Pastoral Counselor. Lastly, LWML President Patti Ross unveiled the new LWML logo. The logo was shared during the President's report and was also shared via LWML social media channels and Livestream. For more information on convention highlights visit NEWSLETTER Editor: Jane Lucht addresses and changes to: Lucy Thompson

3 September 2017 LWML Newsletter Counselor s Corner Rev. Terry Grebing Thanks for sending me to the National Convention in Albuquerque! To summarize my experiences in your behalf, I offer some observations from my pastoral perspective. 1. The laser-like focus: The theme of Jesus Christ Above All was the thread that was woven throughout every aspect of the entire convention! The Biblical basis was Philippians 2:9. After verse 8 states that Jesus Christ became obedient to death, even death on a cross, verse 9 continues, Therefore God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name. Verse 10 goes on to express the missionminded goal of the LWML: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 2. The atmosphere: Outdoors there were plenty of hot air balloons, as well as plenty of just plain hot air! Indoors, just under 3500 delegates and registered guests mingled in a convention center filled with enthusiasm for the Savior in separate, yet adjoining buildings from east to west and west to east! Spacious surroundings equipped with state of the art audio-visual equipment enabled everyone to participate in a meaningful way. 3. The Opening and Sending Services: To set the tone for the entire convention, we began our time together with a worship service featuring an inspiring sermon by LCMS President, the Rev. Dr. Matthew Harrison. Beyond being fed by the Gospel message, a crowd of some 4,000 individuals were fed with the body and blood of Christ through a Communion distribution by 30 pastors at 15 stations. The convention concluded with an emphatic reminder by the Rev. Allen Anderson to proclaim Jesus Christ at all costs! 4. The indoor parades: Featuring banners made by every District and flags of virtually every nation reverently carried by designated individuals, the Lord s Great Commission for all disciples to go and make disciples of all nations while proclaiming Jesus Christ above all was uniquely and visually expressed! 5. The elections: Many talented individuals were elected. Stating there are no losers, President Patti threatened to put those who weren t elected to work for the Lord through the LWML in other ways! By the way, congratulations to our own SID Pastor Mitchel Schuessler, elected to a four-year term as National Pastoral Counselor! 6. The Amazing Maze: The Exhibit Hall filled with dozens of informative, interactive booths highlighted the depth of grassroots service to the Lord in a wealth of areas. These booths facilitated face to face encounters with individuals on the front-lines of specialized ministries that bring the Good News of Jesus Christ to everyone; everywhere. 7. Clanging Cowbells/A Mariachi band: Delegates from the Kansas and Nebraska Districts were equipped with cowbells to nonverbally register their enthusiasm! In contrast to that annoying sound, a Mariachi band from south Texas energized the entire assembly with an hour-long concert. (By the way, Millstadt has a Mexican restaurant called Mariachi s. Should we extend that band an invitation to play there?) 8. The humorous moments: As we commemorate the 500 th Anniversary of the Reformation, Katie Luther kept popping in at unpredictable times to engage in a light-hearted monologue about her life with Martin Luther: Ach, du lieber! 9. An unforgettable evening: Convention goers took a dazzling trip back in time through the wonders of modern technology to celebrate the past 75 years! Depictions of past presidents and convention themes were interwoven with songs and happenings of each decade. This created a spellbinding atmosphere: a jubilant pep rally for the Lord! 10. The gift of G.A.B. Patti Ross of Oklahoma is the current national LWML President. Toward the end of the convention, as she urged everyone to use their gifts, she stated in all humility I m not sure what my gift is. At that point, I glanced at a brochure I had just received. It listed the Mission Grants for mites that had been selected. On the back was a Mission Grant Prayer. It began, Dear Lord, Thank you for your abundant blessings in my daily life. That wording triggered the following realization: Regardless of personality, no matter how

4 Page 4 LWML Newsletter September2017 Where are the banners? In celebration of the LWML s 75th anniversary, plans are to display all the banners that were constructed for the district and national conventions at the 2018 convention. Some have not been located. They include: District 1976 Saints of 76, Arise and Go. District 1978 Behold My Son. District 2000 Free to Be. National 2001 Because He First Loved Me. District 2002 Love One Another. District 2010 Grow in Grace. District 2014 He Leadeth Me Beside Still Waters. If anyone knows where they might be, please contact Ruth Ann Arbeiter. Pastor s message continued quiet or how talkative we might be, all of us have the gift of G.A.B., an apt acronym for God s Abundant Blessings. Plus, each of us has the freedom to share those blessings locally through a daily Declaration of Dependence on the Lord! 11. A final word: What are God s Abundant Blessings in your life? No matter how large or how small, don t keep those blessings to yourself! Share them! Let freedom ring, not like the clanging of cowbells, but through the joyful noise of the liberty bell of freedom in and through Jesus Christ, who is above all! To Him be all glory, now and forever! Sincerely in Christ, Pastor Terry Mite Market 2018 LWMLers, for the next SID LWML convention at CORLHS on September 28-29, 2018 we will add something different to the event. We will have a "Mite Market." Any society, zone or individual who wishes to bring something to "sell" may do so, provided all monies earned go to the new Mite goal for the biennium. So for instance, if your ladies make jellies or sell candles. You may wish to bring a few items that would fit on a 4-foot section of table. The items must be priced and you may set up Friday night and all booths must be cleaned up directly after convention is adjourned. Be creative! Your "mission" is to raise mites for the new grants to be elected that weekend. There will be more information coming soon. Scholarship recipients announced Seminary Scholarships to: -Stefan Gramenz, Fort Wayne, $800 -William Hale, St. Louis, $500 -Keith Kettner, Fort Wayne, $500 -James Peterson, Fort Wayne, $500 -Timothy Roggow, St. Louis, $650 -Michael Stein, St. Louis, $750 -Cameron Harms, St. Louis, $500 -Ian Kinney, Fort Wayne, $500 -Joshua Schiff, Fort Wayne, $500 Student Assistance Scholarships to: -Alicia Benning, teacher, St. Paul, MN. $575 -Megan Pick, teacher, Mequon, WI. $300 -Jacob Roggow, church music/music ed, Seward, NE. $575 -Marie Schultz, teacher, River Forest, $575 -Alexandra Spear, teacher, Ann Arbor, MI, $575 -Elizabeth Koester, Deaconess, River Forest, $575 -Madison Rametta, teacher, River Forest, $575 -Kristen Wyzard, organizational leadership, River Forest, $300 A total of $5,200 was for seminary scholarship and a total of $4,050 for student assistance scholarships. The scholarship committee consisted of: Ruth Ann Arbeiter, Carol Benning, Jan Endres, Carol Oldinski, Brenda Schoenbeck, Norma Tucker and Miriam- Koehne.

5 September 2017 LWML Newsletter Page 5 Vice President of Gospel Outreach Miriam Koehne Encourage one another and build each other up. I Thessalonians 5:11a Encouragement that is definitely one word I took away from the national convention in Albuquerque, NM this summer. How could you not be encouraged to see over 3,400 Lutherans sharing in worship, Holy Communion, Bible study, special focus luncheons, 81 Young Women Representatives and especially joining in the heavenly singing? Everywhere I went I witnessed people helping others, bringing items to the ingathering, assisting with directions or hugging a friend not seen since the last convention. I myself had breakfast the first morning with one such encourager. She was my second grade teacher from 46 years ago! She was an inspiration then and continues to serve her Lord with gladness daily! The SID LWML equips and encourages many individuals through the funding of our mission grants and scholarships. The scholarship committee met in May to look over all applications received and review funds available for distribution. This included additional fund- Organization Amount Approved Amount Paid Amount to be Paid Unity Lutheran Christian Elementary School, East St. Louis $4,000 $2,000 $2,000 Camp Wartburg's Shepherding Sheep Camp for people with disabilities $4,000 $2,000 $2,000 Seminary Student Scholarships SID $8,000 $4,000 $4,000 Shared Prison & Jail Ministry in Southern Illinois District, LCMS $7,000 $3,500 $3,500 Christ Our Savior Lutheran High School, Evansville, IL Tuition Assistance Fund Metro East Lutheran High School, Edwardsville, IL Student Scholarship & Tuition Assistance Trinity/HOPE Feed Children of Lutheran Schools in Haiti, Gallatin, TN American and International Student Ministry, Carbondale, IL Lutheran Braille Workers Center, New Minden, IL Today s Light Christ Our Rock Lutheran High School, Centralia, IL, Rev. Timothy Mueller Mentor Grant $4,000 $4,000 $4,000 $2,000 $2,000 $2,500 $2,500 -o- $4,000 $2,000 $2,000 $2,500 $1,250 $1,250 $4,000 $2,000 $2,000 Student Assistance Fund Scholarship SID $4,000 $2,000 $2,000 Southwestern Illinois College, Belleville, IL Lutheran Student Fellowship LCMS U at SIUE-Edwardsville, IL Campus Ministry Outreach Program Lutheran Bible Translators - Lectionaries in Mother Tongue for Lutheran Churches in West Africa $4,000 $2,000 $2,000 $3,000 $1,500 $1,500 $1,000 $1,000 -o- TOTAL (June 2017) $56,000 $27,750 $28.250

6 Page 6 LWML Newsletter September 2017 Logos over the years for the LWML. The one on the right was adopted at the national convention in June. This year marks the 75th anniversary of the Lutheran Women s Missionary League. President Bremda and the SID YWRs Beth Small and Kim Stegman, with the banner at the national convention in June We love the LWML MISSION GRANTS ing received thru a Thrivent matching gift, an honorarium, and excess funds from SID LWML District Spring Retreats of 2013, 2014 and A total of nine Seminary scholarships were awarded totaling $5,200 and a total of eight Student Assistance scholarships were awarded totaling $4,050. Praise be to God as we send these individuals into the world to proclaim the wonderful news of our Lord and Savior! It will soon be time to collect applications for Mission Grants for the biennium. Information and forms will be available at sidlwml.org, in the Lutheran Witness supplement or you can contact me at threekinc@gmail.com. The deadline to turn in mission grant requests will be February 1, Here are a few correspondences from mission grant and scholarship recipients: Camp Wartburg s Shepherding Sheep Camp for people with disabilities wrote We look with gratitude to special friends like you. Thank you for your prayers and support. These gifts are building blocks that support so much of what God accomplishes through Camp Wartburg. From Trinity/HOPE Feed Children of Lutheran Schools in Haiti where after a March mission trip Ben Schmunk stated Praise God for setting up such a good system of accountability that allows the Haitian children to be fed and for Haitians to be employed and empowered to drive positive change throughout the country. From scholarship recipients 1) Words cannot express our thanks to the women of the SID LWML. Thank you for your part in our journey. 2) It has been my joy and honor to work with the LWML. I look forward to continuing in His service. 3) Thank you for helping to send out laborers into the harvest field.

7 September 2017 LWML Newsletter Page 7 Vice President of Communication Sharon Guebert Be ready! In Season and Out of Season. The title of LWML Sunday this year reminds us how fast seasons change. I am writing this article when it s 104 degrees outside. Just celebrated my 75 th birthday and that too is a season. Life changes, right before our eyes We have a new logo for LWML s diamond jubilee 75 th anniversary. That new logo makes us think about what it represents. Some of you may feel the old logo is more comfortable and you just like it better. Change can be difficult, for me personally I like change. It makes us stop and take note we can become too comfortable. Because life will give us a new season, change is coming. In 2 Timothy 4:2 is says be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with complete patience and teaching. In the next verses 3-4 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but have itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. Our new logo has a new look, but it does not wander off. For God so loved the world [Jn 3:16] The heart of God is behind all that we are and do He has loved us so seen in His only begotten Son His cross and sacrifice His cherished blood for us shed for the forgiveness of sins without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins [Heb. 9:22] Therefore we lift high the cross of Christ guiding our thanks and praise and service... for as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord s death until He comes [1 Cor. 11:26] So that His heart is impressed upon our own and by the Spirit we are blessed with joy and peace Serve the Lord with gladness [Psalm 100:2] Our prayer is that this design will get people to take a new look or even a first look at LWML and give our faithful members a sense that their organization is looking towards the future and ready for 75 more years of mission outreach. Connect with LWML on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Google and You Tube. Whatever season of life you are in the LWML has a new identity aimed to re-engage existing members and attract an even broader audience. LWML members from Trinity Lutheran in Nashville packaged and shipped over 85 pounds of congregational donations for Gifts From The Heart in advance of the 2017 LWML Convention, which they all be attended. Pictured left to right are Phyllis Silger, Sue Mueller, Alicia Hiller, Holleigh Hiller, and Jeannette Endres. Serve the Lord With Gladness

8 Page 8 LWML Newsletter September 2017 Vice President of Christian Life Debra Albers Take it to the Lord in Prayer. So many times I worry about things when I should be praying and talking to my Heavenly Father instead. I must admit my prayer life has changed, since I m in my 40 s now. I do talk with God about more of what is going on than I did before. I make a habit of thanking Him each morning for the simple things like food, shelter, safety, good rest, the ability to work, just to name a few. This year though, I have asked the Lord to help me do what needs to be done each day and the grace to forget about the rest. In studying the Lord s Prayer more in depth this summer, I have found nuggets of gold about the petitions that I had forgotten. Such as, the words, Our Father according to Martin Luther; are words encouraging us to speak to God like a little child would talk to their earthly father. God loves us and created us, why wouldn t He want to hear from us daily? Why wouldn t He want to hear our thanks and praise? He wants to hear our cries for help and if we are sad or how joyous we are when things are going well. In growing older, this makes more sense to me each day. I saw how my parents were excited to see my siblings return home to visit. How Father and Mother would sit and listen to the stories that were told. Perhaps offer advice when needed, can t you see God the Father doing the same thing? It warms the heart to know that God is there for us no matter what. I m so glad I was reminded of this. It makes my prayer time even more personal with God. Another tidbit comes from the Fourth Petition, Give us this day, our daily bread. Did you know it is the only petition that asks for physical blessings? However, we aren t just asking for bread to eat, oh, No! We are asking for everything that pertains to our body and life and the support of it. Not only are we asking for daily food and drink, but we are asking for good health, a good reputation, good workers, peace, good government, and the like. This is what Martin Luther stated in the Small Catechism under the question, What is daily bread? God wants us to daily realize that all we have comes from Him and to give Him thanks for it. He also wants us to trust in Him for each day s portions. He does not want us to be greedy or wasteful, but to use what He blesses us with and to share this bounty with those in need. So those 7 words mean a lot more than we think. Whether you are happy, sad, lonely, scared, angry, thankful or whatever, take your words to the Lord. Tell Him, ask Him, thank Him, and praise Him, because He cares for you like no other can. Take it to the Lord in prayer, your personal heart to heart talk with God. Convention plans underway The district board approved the following Bible verse as the theme for the 2018 district convention Psalm 100:5 For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations. We will use all of Psalm 100 during the event but focus on verse 5. We will continue the 75th anniversary celebration here in our district. We are going to focus on the DECADES of MIS- SIONS. A look at the past, present and future of the LWML. Now that we have a theme, you can start putting together ideas for a district banner idea. The banner should be 3 x 5 feet. Just a drawing will be sufficient for the board to view. The board will vote on one at the January board of directors meeting. Get your ideas to Brenda ASAP. Mark your calendars now for September 28-29, 2018 at CORLHS in Centralia, Illinois. We are planning a big celebration, you won't want to miss it! Our thoughts and prayers to the family of Dennis Sachtleben, son of Peggy Sachtleben Meinzen and husband of Mary Ann Sachtleben who was called to his heavenly home on July 18. The funeral was July 21 at Collinsville. Both Peggy and Mary Ann were former LWML district board members.

9 September 2017 LWML Newsletter Page 9 Jesus lead thou on How many of you have had the words to a hymn, or a favorite Bible verse get stuck in your mind where it goes on and on? No matter what you are doing, here comes those words again, as if to say: Listen to me there is something you need to do. I can t see your show of hands, but if I could, there would be a lot of them raised, I ll bet. As you have probably figured out by now, the opening words of my article are stuck in my mind today! Now, I think they are wonderful words the ancient hymn writer uses them to help us realize that we are not in charge, Jesus is! I m sure many of you can finish at least the rest of this hymn verse in your mindswithout the use of a hymnal. Beautiful words, aren t they? Vice President of Organizational Resources Helen Mayer So I can see/hear you asking yourself, what does this have to do with LWML? Here is the connection, as I see it. Many of you were able to attend the recent 75 th Anniversary LWML Convention I was not able to go, but from what I have seen, it was a wonderful experience! Just think 75 years strong and going and growing into the future. What is going to happen? Where will we be a few years from now? Will we still be able to accomplish God s work for us here on earth? I don t have the answers, but I do have the assurance that our Savior is with us, and we in our societies, our zones, and our district can move forward with these words: Jesus lead thou on. Planned Giving Advocate Ruth Ann Arbeiter GIFTS OF LOVE MINISTRY Part of becoming a good and faithful servant is to create a good plan for your family. This is important stewardship of the property that God has entrusted to you can both protect and provide for your family and ministry. If you have a moderate or large estate, you may find it desirable to create a living trust. The living trust is completely within your control during your lifetime. You can add Property to the trust or remove property from the trust at any time. During your lifetime, the trust income is taxable to you. There are at least three major benefits of the living trust. 1. If you are sick or in the hospital, your designated successor trustee can take over and manage your property for your benefit. 2. If you pass away, the property in the living trust will avoid probate and potentially save thousands of dollars in costs. 3. The living trust typically is a private document and is not made public during the probate process. For more information or help with your estate plan, please contact our own LWML Gift Planning counselor, Linda Gage, toll free, at or via at: lindagage.lwml@gmail.com. More information is also available on our website: At our district level, you can contact Gift Planning Advocate Ruth Ann Arbeiter at or by at: arbeiterra@egyptian.net.

10 Page 8 LWML Newsletter 2015 Serving You Are: President Brenda Schoenbeck Vice President of Gospel Outreach Miriam Koehne Vice President of Christian Life Deb Albers Vice President of Servant Resources Helen Meyer Vice President of Special Focus Ministries Carol Small Vice President of Communication Sharon Guebert Recording Secretary Patti Liefer Corresponding Secretary Lucy Thompson Financial Secretary Carol Oldinski Treasurer Ruth Ann Arbeiter Counselor Rev. Terry Grebing Counselor Rev. Jay Holden Editor Jane Lucht Archivist/Historian Peggy Sachtleben Christian Resource Editor Joyce Aukamp Young Women Representatives Resources.LWML Store Pat Wernsing Quarterly/Newsletter Coordinator Lucy Thompson Send changes of addresses or s to: Lucy Thompson Loving Gifts Memorials Eugene Gielow Connie Huge Ruth Koester Milda Lueking** Florence Oeseman Bertha Randoll Larry Roethe La Verna Schwarz Winona Schweizer Phyllis Sievers Board Notes: Members of the District Board met on July 20 for their quarterly meeting. Sandra Purcell was welcomed as the new president of the Metro North Zone. Carol Small is the new president of Metro Central Zone Although the district convention is still one year away. Plans were discussed for the convention on September 28-29, 2018 that will be held at Christ Our Rock Lutheran High School at Centralia. Ruth Ann Arbeiter and Deb Albers are co-chairs of the convention. The convention will feature the Decades of Missions from the 1970s until now in honor of the LWML s 75th anniversary. This will be in place of a keynote speaker. A new feature this time will be a Mite Market. See separate article for more details. It was announced that the Fall Retreat would be held October 7 at Our Redeemer in Greenville. It was reminded that those having access to the internet can receive updated information about the district and national. The national convention in New Mexico is available to watch at convention. Don t forget the LWML daily devotions that are posted every morning. In Honor Rev. Bob Gray s 70th Birthday Lena Rust *Denotes Student Assistance Fund ** Denotes Ordination Fund

11 Do the worries of life have you down? Do you want to know where you can turn? Come join us at the SID LWML Fall Retreat on October 7, 2017 at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church located at 1540 East State Rte. 140 Greenville, Il The theme verse for the day is from Philippians 4:6-7 NIV Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Look those verses up in your Bible, mark it, write it down on a slip of paper and commit it to memory. We will take a more in depth look at this passage to see what God says during Bible study, so bring your Bible along! Registration begins at 9 a.m. Coffee and breads will be offered. Opening worship with Holy Communion in the sanctuary will start our day at 9:30 am During the retreat, we will have a speaker from the Pregnancy Center tell us about the organization and what they do for the women who need help and guidance in keeping their babies. We will make tied fleece baby blankets for the center. You may wish to bring a pair of fabric scissors along to cut the material strips. Some will be provided. There will be an ingathering collected which will go to the Pregnancy Center as well. Items we will be collecting are as follows: Diapers (Newborn and size 1), wipes, Onesies and sleepers (Newborn 3T), socks, or baby bath items. The fee for the day is $20.00 per person. Please RSVP by October 1 so there will be enough food and materials for the day. We hope to see you all there! Directions to the church are as follows: From Interstate 40, you should take IL 127 toward Greenville, after crossing US 40, proceed 1/4 mile to Idler Lane and make a right onto Idler Lane. Travel Idler Lane until to stop at IL 140. The turn right onto Il 140 and church is 1 block East on the right side of the road. There is plenty of parking available. Come in the main entrance. All activities are on one level, there are no steps. We may have an activity outside weather permitting, so bring a jacket if needed. Come enjoy a day away to fellowship with other LWML women in mission! Hey, bring a friend along and have some time to chat along the way. The Fall Retreat Committee, Deb Albers, Helen Mayer, Michele Hill, Pastor Jay Holden and Pastor Terry Grebing 2017 Fall Retreat Registration Form: Name: Society/Congregation: Address: Phone: Check Number or cash Cost is $ Make registration checks payable to SID LWML. Mail to: Michele Hill 113 S. Broadway, Hoffman, Il OR to mhill@kaskaskia.edu